My Dear

It’s official! I am now playing music under the title Crown Magnolia.

Crown Magnolia has been in the works for a while. But it has taken a contest to push it into being (Guitar Center is currently hosting a contest: http://songwriter.whooznxt.com/). From the time I learned how to write poetry, I’ve been stringing words together and singing them out loud. And when I got my first guitar in 8th grade, I happily plucked out some primitive tunes to express my thoughts and words musically. Ten years later, I still string words together and pluck out melodies, but with more depth and understanding than before (hopefully).

I’ve tried and tried to give up this dream, but it never seems to die. Maybe there is something to be said about going for what seems impossible. There is a countless number of talented people out there. Most of them are better than I am musically, lyrically, and in stage presence. But, nobody is me. Nobody has my exact life experience, God-story, or relational journey. And that is what I can offer the world. If it gets thrown back in my face, it’s okay. But if I never step out and share it, I will never know.

Here is the first video posted as Crown Magnolia. Enjoy, and press the “like” button while you’re at it.

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Elegance

b. tasteful richness of design or ornamentation

– merriam-webster

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Giant Wooden Circles

Hanging our new decor

I #LoveMyJob because I get to be creative and help make projects like this happen! We had a group come in this past week who constructed giant wooden circles for their stage design (I love their set designs every year!). They left most of their structures when they pulled out on Friday, so, like many other creatives would have done, we saved their wood and re-purposed it for a lighted, hanging structure in our auditorium. I’ll post another picture later  when we have it completed and lit!

A Day with Morgan

Had a blast out on the town with Morgan a couple of weeks ago! One thing I love about shooting portraits is getting to capture the personalities of each person. Below are a few photos from our day on the trails of Austin. Along with some classic poses, I’ve included a shot of Morgan making a funny face which, if you know Morgan, happens a lot and keeps the moment lighthearted. Enjoy!

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A Moment with Karen

A Moment with Karen

Karen and her husband have been volunteering at Highland Lakes full time for over a decade and she took a moment to share some of her thoughts about her experience. This is part 2 of my interviews from last week for the Women’s Conference.
Check out more photos from the Women’s Conference: http://tiny.cc/hh3f2b

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Interviews at Highland Lakes

Interviews at Highland Lakes

Mrs. Ernestine has been a full-time volunteer at Highland Lakes for over a decade. I took a moment to interview her a couple weeks ago in preparation for the HLC Women’s Conference.

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A Few From The Ballews

I had a great time with the Ballews back in December and wanted to share a couple of my favorite images with you!

   

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Pinterested?

Something has captured the attention of people everywhere (even those who refuse to get on Facebook). http://www.Pinterest.com. There is a buzz about Pinterest and if you have not already heard about it, you will, so read on.

Pinterest is an online pinboard, where I can digitally pin any image or video I find online that I like to a digital board in my Pinterest account. So what? I can post images on Flickr, Facebook, Twitter or Google+, why do I need another site where my actions are limited to pinning?

First, it’s exclusive. You cannot get on Pinterest until you receive an invite. You might not have been interested before, but now that it is exclusive, you want to get in. Granted, it is not too hard to get an invite, but it is a great marketing strategy.

Second, it’s legal (well, we’ll see if SOPA or PIPA have any affect). Pinterest cites the website where you found the image, which leaves users plenty of room to promote and advertise the things they like.

Third, it’s easy. Once you are in, you can install the little pin icon on your web browser and can start your happy pinning. Each pinboard you start can be organized however you want and you can start as many pinboards as you like: foods, football players, accessories, DIY projects, light fixtures, awesome photography, etc.

Fourth, it’s connected. You can link your Pinterest account with your Twitter and Facebook accounts to show everybody what you have been pinning.

Fifth, it’s accessible. As a designer and hobbyist, I would rather have a digital collection of the things I like and want to remember – a collection that is easily accessed wherever there is an Internet connection. I have quickly realized that this digital collection is much more valuable, usable, and share-able than a physical, cut-out-of-magazines collection.

Try it out and let me know how you like it.

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